P - L P S L 1: I M: RE AB Reparation Heet For AB Ntroduction To Otion

Lab1IntroductiontoMotion.
qxd 5/27/12 11:26 AM Page 1
Name Date
PRE-LAB PREPARATION SHEET FOR LAB 1:

INTRODUCTION TO MOTION
(Due at the beginning of Lab 1)
Directions:
Read over Lab 1 and then answer the following questions about the procedures.
1. In Activity 1-1, part 3, how do you think graph a will differ from graph b?
2. What can you say in general about velocity versus time for the graphs a, b,
and c in Activity 1-3, part 3?
3. Draw your graph for Prediction 2-1 below:
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
0 3 6 9 12 15
Time (s)
4. In Activity 3-2, how will you find the average velocity?
LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 1

Lab1IntroductiontoMotion.qxd 5/27/12 11:26 AM Page 2
5. What is a vector? What vector quantities are studied in this lab?
2 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

Name Date Partners
LAB 1:
INTRODUCTION TO MOTION
Distance
Hare
Tortoise
Time
SH
NI
FI
Slow and steady wins the race.
—Aesop’s fable: The Hare and the Tortoise
OBJECTIVES
• To discover how to use a motion detector.
• To explore how various motions are represented on a distance (position)–time
graph.
• To explore how various motions are represented on a velocity–time graph.
• To discover the relationship between position–time and velocity–time graphs.
• To begin to explore acceleration–time graphs.
OVERVIEW
In this lab you will examine two different ways that the motion of an object that
moves along a line can be represented graphically. You will use a motion detec-
tor to plot distance–time (position–time) and velocity–time graphs of the motion
of your own body and a cart. The study of motion and its mathematical and graph-
ical representation is known as kinematics.
Motion Detector
Number Line

INVESTIGATION 1: DISTANCE (POSITION)–TIME GRAPHS

OF YOUR MOTION
The purpose of this investigation is to learn how to relate graphs of the distance
as a function of time to the motions they represent.
You will need the following materials:
• computer-based laboratory system

• motion detector
• RealTime Physics Mechanics experiment configuration files
• number line on floor in meters (optional)
How does the distance–time graph look when you move slowly? Quickly? What
happens when you move toward the motion detector? Away? After completing
this investigation, you should be able to look at a distance–time graph and de-
scribe the motion of an object. You should also be able to look at the motion of
an object and sketch a graph representing that motion.
Comment: “Distance” is short for “distance from the motion detector.” The
motion detector is the origin from which distances are measured. The motion
detector
• detects the closest object directly in front of it (including your arms if you
swing them as you walk).
• transfers information to the computer via the interface so that as you walk
(or jump, or run), the graph on the computer screen displays your distance
from the motion detector.
• will not correctly measure anything closer than some distance (usually
specified by the manufacturer).
When making your graphs, don’t go closer than this distance from the motion detector.
Activity 1-1: Making and Interpreting Distance–Time Graphs
1. Be sure that the interface is connected to the computer, and the motion de-
tector is plugged into the appropriate port of the interface. Open the experi-
ment file called Distance (L01A1-1a) to display distance (position) vs. time axes.
2. If you have a number line on the floor and you want the detector to produce
readings that agree, stand at the 2-m mark on the number line, begin graph-
ing, and have someone move the detector until the reading is 2 m.
3. Begin graphing and make distance–time graphs for different walking speeds
and directions, and sketch your graphs on the axes.
a. Start at the 1/2-meter mark b. Make a distance-time

and make a distance-time graph, walking away from
Distance (m)
Distance (m)
graph, walking away from the detector (origin)

the detector (origin) slowly medium fast and steadily.
and steadily.
Time (s) Time (s)

c. Make a distance-time d. Make a distance-time

graph, walking toward the graph, walking toward the
Distance (m)
Distance (m)
detector (origin) slowly detector (origin) medium
and steadily. fast and steadily.
Time (s) Time (s)
Question 1-1: Describe the difference between a graph made by walking away
slowly and one made by walking away quickly.
Question 1-2: Describe the difference between a graph made by walking toward
and one made walking away from the motion detector.
Comment: It is common to refer to the distance of an object from some ori-

gin as the position of the object. Since the motion detector is at the origin of the
coordinate system, it is better to refer to the graphs you have made as posi-
tion–time graphs rather than distance–time graphs.
Prediction 1-1: Predict the po sition–time graph produced when a person starts
at the 1-m mark, walks away from the detector slowly and steadily for 5 s, stops
for 5 s, and then walks toward the detector twice as fast. Draw your prediction
on the left axes below using a dashed line.
Compare your predictions with those made by others in your group. Draw
your group’s prediction on the left-hand axes below using a solid line. (Do not
erase your original prediction.)
PREDICTION FINAL RESULT

2 2
Position (m)
Position (m)
1 1
0 0
0 3 6 9 12 15 0 3 6 9 12 15
Time (s) Time (s)

4. Test your prediction. Open the experiment file called Away and Back (L01A1-1b)
to set up the software to graph position over a range of 2 m for a time interval
of 15 s.
Move in the way described in Prediction 1-1, and graph your motion. When
you are satisfied with your graph, draw your group’s final result on the right
axes above.
Question 1-3: Is your prediction the same as the final result? If not, describe
how you would move to make a graph that looks like your prediction.
Activity 1-2: Matching a Position–Time Graph

By now you should be pretty good at predicting the shape of a position–time
graph of your movements. Can you do things the other way around by reading
a position–time graph and figuring out how to move to reproduce it? In this
activity you will move to match a position-time graph shown on the computer
screen.
1. Open the experiment file called Position Match (L01A1-2). A position-time

graph like that shown below will appear on the screen. Clear any other data
remaining from previous experiments.
3
Position (m)
0
0 4 8 12 16 20
Time (s)
Comment: This graph is stored in the computer so that it is persistently dis-

played on the screen. New data from the motion detector can be collected
without erasing the Position Match graph.
2. Move to match the Position Match graph on the computer screen. You may
try a number of times. It helps to work in a team. Get the times right. Get the
positions right. Each person should take a turn.

Question 1-4: What was the difference in the way you moved to produce the
two differently sloped parts of the graph you just matched?
Activity 1-3: Other Position–Time Graphs

Note: Clear the Position Match graph from the screen before moving on.
1. Sketch your own position–time graph on the axes which follow with a dashed
line. Use straight lines, no curves. Now see how well someone in your group can
duplicate this graph on the screen by walking in front of the motion detector.
3
Position (m)
0
0 4 8 12 16 20
Time (s)
2. Draw the best attempt by a group member to match your position–time graph
on the same axes. Use a solid line.
3. Can you make a curved position–time graph? Try to make each of the graphs
shown below.
GRAPH A GRAPH B GRAPH C

Position
Position
Position
Time Time Time
4. Describe how you must move to produce a position–time graph with each of
the shapes shown.
Graph A answer:

Graph B answer:
Graph C answer:
Question 1-5: What is the general difference between motions that result in a
straight-line position–time graph and those that result in a curved-line
position–time graph?
INVESTIGATION 2: VELOCITY–TIME GRAPHS OF MOTION

You have already plotted your position along a line as a function of time. Another
way to represent your motion during an interval of time is with a graph that de-
scribes how fast and in what direction you are moving. This is a velocity–time
graph. Velocity is the rate of change of position with respect to time. It is a quan-
tity that takes into account your speed (how fast you are moving) and also the
direction you are moving. Thus, when you examine the motion of an object mov-
ing along a line, the direction the object is moving is indicated by the sign (posi-
tive or negative) of the velocity.
Graphs of velocity over time are more challenging to create and interpret than
those for position. A good way to learn to interpret them is to create and examine ve-
locity–time graphs of your own body motions, as you will do in this investigation.
You will need the following materials:
• motion detector
Activity 2-1: Making Velocity Graphs

1. Set up to graph velocity. Open the experiment file called Velocity Graphs
(L01A2-1) to set up the axes that follow.
2. Graph your velocity for different walking speeds and directions as described
in (a)–(d) below, and sketch your graphs on the axes. (Just draw smooth pat-
terns; leave out smaller bumps that are mostly due to your steps.)
a. Begin graphing and make a velocity graph by walking away from the de-
tector slowly and steadily. Try again until you get a graph you’re satisfied with.
You may want to adjust the velocity scale so that the graph fills more
of the screen and is clearer.
Then sketch your graph on the axes.
+1
Velocity (m/s)
0
–1
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
b. Make a velocity graph, walking away from the detector medium fast and
steadily.
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
c. Make a velocity graph, walking toward the detector slowly and steadily.
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
d. Make a velocity graph, walking toward the detector medium fast and steadily.
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)

Question 2-1: What is the most important difference between the graph made
by slowly walking away from the detector and the one made by walking away
more quickly?
Question 2-2: How are the velocity–time graphs different for motion away and
motion toward the detector?
Prediction 2-1: Predict a velocity–time graph for a more complicated motion and
check your prediction.
Each person draw below, using a dashed line, your prediction of the veloc-
ity–time graph produced if you
• walk away from the detector slowly and steadily for about 5 s;
• stand still for about 5 s;
• walk toward the detector steadily about twice as fast as before.
Compare your predictions and see if you can all agree. Use a solid line to draw
in your group prediction.
PREDICTION
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
0 3 6 9 12 15
Time (s)
3. Test your prediction. (Be sure to adjust the time scale to 15 s.) Begin graph-
ing and repeat your motion until you think it matches the description.
Draw the best graph on the axes below. Be sure the 5 s you spend standing
still shows clearly.
FINAL RESULT
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
0 3 6 9 12 15
Time (s)

Comment: Velocity implies both speed and direction. How fast you move is your
speed: the rate of change of position with respect to time. As you have seen, for
motion along a line (e.g., the positive x axis) the sign (! or ") of the velocity in-
dicates the direction. If you move away from the detector (origin), your velocity
is positive, and if you move toward the detector, your velocity is negative.
The faster you move away from the origin, the larger positive number your
velocity is. The faster you move toward the origin, the “larger” negative num-
ber your velocity is. That is "4 m/s is twice as fast as "2 m/s, and both mo-
tions are toward the origin.
These two ideas of speed and direction can be combined and represented
by vectors. A velocity vector is represented by an arrow pointing in the direc-
tion of motion. The length of the arrow is drawn proportional to the speed;
the longer the arrow, the larger the speed. If you are moving toward the right,
your velocity vector can be represented by
If you were moving twice as fast toward the right, the arrow representing
your velocity vector would look like
while moving twice as fast toward the left would be represented by
What is the relationship between a one-dimensional velocity vector and the

sign of velocity? This depends on the way you choose to set the positive x axis.
Diagram 1 (+x axis toward right) Diagram 2 (+x axis toward left)
Positive velocity Negative velocity
0 + + 0
Negative velocity Positive velocity
In both diagrams, the top vectors represent velocity toward the right. In
Diagram 1, the x axis has been drawn so that the positive x direction is toward
the right, as it is usually drawn. Thus, the top arrow represents positive veloc-
ity. However, in Diagram 2, the positive x direction is toward the left. Thus the
top arrow represents negative velocity. Likewise, in both diagrams the bottom
arrows represent velocity toward the left. In Diagram 1 this is negative veloc-
ity, and in Diagram 2 it is positive velocity.
Question 2-3: Sketch below velocity vectors representing the three parts of the
motion described in Prediction 2-1.
Walking slowly away from the detector:

Standing still:
Walking rapidly toward the detector:
Activity 2-2: Matching a Velocity Graph

In this activity, you will try to move to match a velocity–time graph shown on
the computer screen. This is often much harder than matching a position graph
as you did in the previous investigation. Most people find it quite a challenge at
first to move so as to match a velocity graph. In fact, some velocity graphs that
can be invented cannot be matched!
1. Open the experiment file called Velocity Match (L01A2-2) to display the ve-
locity–time graph shown below on the screen.
Prediction 2-2: Describe in words how you would move so that your velocity
matched each part of this velocity–time graph.
0 to 4 s:
4 to 8 s:

8 to 12 s:
12 to 18 s:
18 to 20 s:
2. Begin graphing, and move so as to imitate this graph. You may try a num-
ber of times. Work as a team and plan your movements. Get the times right.
Get the velocities right. Each person should take a turn.
Draw in your group’s best match on the axes above.
Question 2-4: Describe how you moved to match each part of the graph. Did
this agree with your predictions?
Question 2-5: Is it possible for an object to move so that it produces an absolutely

vertical line on a velocity–time graph? Explain.
Question 2-6: Did you run into the motion detector on your return trip? If so,
why did this happen? How did you solve the problem?
Question 2-7: Does a velocity graph tell you where to start? Explain.
If you have more time, do the following Extension.

Extension 2-3: More Velocity Graphs

Prediction E2-3: Can you tell from a velocity–time graph where you were when
you started walking and where you were when you stopped walking? Explain.
Set up the motion detector and test your prediction. Make a graph walking
away from or toward the motion detector. Use the features of your software to
transfer your data so that the graph will remain persistently displayed on the
screen. Then, for comparison, make a second graph moving in exactly the same
manner, but this time start at a different distance from the detector. Sketch the
graphs. Compare them.
Question E2-8: If someone showed you these graphs, could you tell from the
graphs where the person was when s/he started moving? Explain.
Prediction E2-4: You are driving down the highway, and another car moving in
the same direction passes you. At the moment that the car passes you, which mo-
tion quantity is the same for both cars—position, velocity, or both?
Devise a method to test your prediction. Set up the motion detector to look
at two people walking in the same direction next to one another at the moment
one passes the other. (Hint: Remember that the motion detector detects the object
that is closest to it.) Graph the motions. Print your graphs. Compare the results
to your prediction.
Question E2-9: What is your conclusion? Which quantities are the same when
one object passes another—their velocities, positions, or both?
INVESTIGATION 3: RELATING POSITION

AND VELOCITY GRAPHS
You have looked at position–time and velocity–time graphs separately. Since po-
sition–time and velocity–time graphs are different ways to represent the same mo-
tion, it is possible to figure out the velocity at which someone is moving by ex-
amining her/his position–time graph. Conversely, you can also figure out how
far someone has traveled (change in position) from a velocity–time graph.
To explore how position–time and velocity–time graphs are related, you will
need the following materials:


• motion detector
Activity 3-1: Predicting Velocity Graphs from Position Graphs

1. Open the experiment file called Velocity from Position (L01A3-1) to set up
the axes that follow. Clear any previous graphs.
Prediction 3-1: Predict a velocity graph from a position graph. Carefully study
the position–time graph that follows and predict the velocity–time graph that
would result from the motion. Using a dashed line, sketch your prediction of the
corresponding velocity–time graph on the velocity axes.
2. Test your prediction. After each person has sketched a prediction, begin
graphing, and do your group’s best to make a position graph like the one
shown. Walk as smoothly as possible.
When you have made a good duplicate of the position graph, sketch your ac-
tual graph over the existing position–time graph.
Use a solid line to draw the actual velocity–time graph on the same axes with
your prediction. (Do not erase your prediction.)
Question 3-1: How would the position graph be different if you moved faster?
Slower?

Question 3-2: How would the velocity graph be different if you moved faster?
Slower?
Activity 3-2: Calculating Average Velocity

In this activity, you will find an average velocity from your velocity–time graph
in Activity 3-1 and then from your position–time graph.
1. Find your average velocity from your velocity graph in Activity 3-1. Use the
analysis feature in the software to read values of velocity (about 10 values
from the portion of your velocity graph where your velocity is relatively constant)
and use them to calculate the average (mean) velocity. Write the 10 values in
the table that follows.
Velocity values (m/s)
1 6
2 7
3 8
4 9
5 10
Average (mean) value of the velocity: ______m/s
Comment: Average velocity during a particular time interval can also be cal-
culated as the change in position divided by the change in time. (The change
in position is often called the displacement.) For motion with a constant veloc-
ity, this is also the slope of the position–time graph for that time period.
As you have observed, the faster you move, the steeper your position–time
graph becomes. The slope of a position–time graph is a quantitative measure
of this incline. The size of this number tells you the speed, and the sign tells
you the direction.
2. Calculate your average velocity from the slope of your position graph in Ac-
tivity 3-1. Use the analysis feature of the software to read the position and
time coordinates for two typical points while you were moving. (For a more ac-
curate answer, use two points as far apart as possible but still typical of the
motion, and within the time interval in which you took velocity readings in
part 1.)
Position (m) Time (s)
Point 1
Point 2

Calculate the change in position (displacement) between points 1 and 2. Also

calculate the corresponding change in time (time interval). Divide the change
in position by the change in time to calculate the average velocity. Show your
calculations below.
Change in position (m)
Time interval (s)
Average velocity (m/s)
Question 3-3: Is the average velocity positive or negative? Is this what you ex-
pected?
Question 3-4: Does the average velocity you just calculated from the position
graph agree with the average velocity you found from the velocity graph? Do you
expect them to agree? How would you account for any differences?
If you have additional time, do the Extension below, and use other features
of the software to find the average velocity from your graphs. If you are planning
to come back to this later, be sure to save your graphs now.
Extension 3-3: Using Statistics and Fit

to Find the Average Velocity
In Activity 3-2, you found the value of the average velocity for a steady motion
in two ways: from the average of a number of values on a velocity–time graph
and from the slope of the position–time graph. The statistics feature in your soft-
ware should allow you to find the average (mean) value directly from the veloc-
ity–time graph. The fit routine should allow you to find the line that best fits your
position–time graph from Activity 3-1. The equation of this line includes a value
for the slope.
1. Using statistics: You must first select the portion of the velocity–time graph
for which you want to find the mean value. Next use the statistics feature to
read the mean value of velocity during this portion of the motion.
Question E3-5: Compare this value to the one you found from 10 measurements
in Activity 3-2. Which method do you think is more accurate? Why?

2. Using fit: You must first select the portion of the position–time graph that
you want to fit.
Next, use the fit routine, select a linear fit, y # b ! mt, and then find the equa-
tion of the line.
Record the equation of the fit line below, and compare the value of the slope,
m, to the velocity you found in Activity 3-2.
Question E3-6: What is the meaning of b?
Question E3-7: How do the two values of velocity that you found here agree
with each other? Is this what you expected?
Activity 3-4: Predicting Position Graphs from Velocity Graphs
Prediction 3-2: Carefully study the velocity graph shown below. Using a dashed
line, sketch your prediction of the corresponding position graph on the bottom set
of axes. (Assume that you started at the 1-m mark.)
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
PREDICTION AND FINAL RESULT

4
Position (m)
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Time (s)

1. Test your prediction. First shut off the analysis feature, and adjust the time
axis to 0 to 10 s before you start.
2. After each person has sketched a prediction, do your group’s best to dupli-
cate the top (velocity–time) graph by walking. Be sure to graph velocity first.
When you have made a good duplicate of the velocity–time graph, draw your
actual result over the existing velocity–time graph.
3. Use a solid line to draw the actual position–time graph on the same axes with
your prediction. (Do not erase your prediction.)
Question 3-8: How can you tell from a velocity–time graph that the moving ob-
ject has changed direction? What is the velocity at the moment the direction
changes?
Question 3-9: How can you tell from a position–time graph that your motion is
steady (motion at a constant velocity)?
Question 3-10: How can you tell from a velocity–time graph that your motion
is steady (constant velocity)?
INVESTIGATION 4: INTRODUCTION TO ACCELERATION

There is a third quantity besides position and velocity that is used to describe the
motion of an object—acceleration. Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of
velocity with respect to time (just like velocity is defined as the rate of change of posi-
tion with respect to time). In this investigation you will begin to examine the ac-
celeration of objects.
Because of the jerky nature of the motion of your body, the acceleration graphs
are very complex. It will be easier to examine the motion of a cart. In this inves-
tigation you will examine the cart moving with a constant (steady) velocity. Later,
in Lab 2 you will examine the acceleration of more complex motions of the cart.
You will need the following:

• motion detector
• cart with very little friction
• smooth ramp or other level surface 2–3 m long

Activity 4-1: Motion of a Cart at a Constant Velocity

To graph the motion of a cart at a constant velocity you can give the cart a quick
push with your hand and then release it.
1. Set up the motion detector at the end of the ramp. If the cart has a friction
pad, move it out of contact with the ramp so that the cart can move freely.
Motion
Detector
2. Set up the position and velocity axes that follow by opening the experiment
file called Constant Velocity (L01A4-1).
Prediction 4-1: How should the position and velocity graphs look if you move
the cart at a constant velocity away from the motion detector starting at the
0.5-m mark? Sketch your predictions with dashed lines on the axes that follow.
Hint: Base your prediction on your observations of the motion of your body in
Investigations 1 and 2.
2
Position (m)
0
+1
Velocity (m/s)
–1
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
3. Test your prediction. Be sure that the cart is never closer than the minimum spec-
ified distance from the motion detector and that your hand is not between the cart
and motion detector. Begin graphing. Try several times until you get a fairly
constant velocity. Sketch your results with solid lines on the axes.

Question 4-1: Did your position–time and velocity–time graphs agree with your
predictions? What characterizes constant velocity motion on a position–time graph?
Question 4-2: What characterizes constant velocity motion on a velocity–time

graph?
Activity 4-2: Acceleration of a Cart Moving

at a Constant Velocity
Prediction 4-2: Sketch with a dashed line on the axes that follow your predic-
tion of the acceleration of the cart you just observed moving at a constant veloc-
ity away from the motion detector. Base your prediction on the definition of ac-
celeration.
PREDICTION AND FINAL RESULTS

+1
Acceleration (m/s2)
–1
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time (s)
4. Display the real acceleration graph of the cart on your computer in place of
the position graph. Adjust the axes as necessary to display acceleration clearly.
Sketch the acceleration graph using a solid line on the axes above.
Comment: To find the average acceleration of the cart during some time in-
terval (the average rate of change of its velocity with respect to time), you must
measure its velocity at the beginning and end of the interval, calculate the dif-
ference between the final value and the initial value and divide by the time
interval.
Question 4-3: Does the acceleration–time graph you observed agree with this
method of calculating acceleration? Explain. Does it agree with your prediction?
What is the value of the acceleration of an object moving at a constant velocity?

Question 4-4: The diagram below shows positions of the cart at equal time in-
tervals. (This is like overlaying snapshots of the cart at equal time intervals. The
motion detector also looks at the cart’s position at equal intervals.) At each indi-
cated time, sketch a vector above the cart that might represent the velocity of the
cart at that time while it is moving at a constant velocity away from the motion
detector. Assume that the cart is already moving at t1.
t1 = 0s t2 = 1s t3 = 2s t4 = 3s
Motion
Detector
x1 x2 x3 x4
Positive x direction
Comment: To find the average acceleration vector from two velocity vectors,
you must first find the vector representing the change in velocity by subtract-
ing the initial velocity vector from the final one. Then you divide this vector
by the time interval.
Question 4-5: Show below how you would find the vector representing the
change in velocity between the times 2 and 3 s in the diagram in Question 4-4.
(Hint: The vector difference is the same as the sum of one vector and the nega-
tive of the other vector.) From this vector, what value would you calculate for the
acceleration? Explain. Is this value in agreement with the acceleration graph on
the previous page?

CONCLUSIONS FROM LAB 1

Please write your conclusions drawn from today’s experiment(s) below.

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Lab1IntroductiontoMotion.

qxd 5/27/12 11:26 AM Page 1

PRE-LAB PREPARATION SHEET FOR LAB 1:

3. Draw your graph for Prediction 2-1 below:

4. In Activity 3-2, how will you find the average velocity?

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 1

5. What is a vector? What vector quantities are studied in this lab?

2 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

Name Date Partners

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 3

INVESTIGATION 1: DISTANCE (POSITION)–TIME GRAPHS

• computer-based laboratory system

Activity 1-1: Making and Interpreting Distance–Time Graphs

a. Start at the 1/2-meter mark b. Make a distance-time

graph, walking away from the detector (origin)

Time (s) Time (s)

4 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

c. Make a distance-time d. Make a distance-time

Time (s) Time (s)

Comment: It is common to refer to the distance of an object from some ori-

PREDICTION FINAL RESULT

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 5

Activity 1-2: Matching a Position–Time Graph

1. Open the experiment file called Position Match (L01A1-2). A position-time

Comment: This graph is stored in the computer so that it is persistently dis-

6 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

Activity 1-3: Other Position–Time Graphs

GRAPH A GRAPH B GRAPH C

Time Time Time

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 7

INVESTIGATION 2: VELOCITY–TIME GRAPHS OF MOTION

Activity 2-1: Making Velocity Graphs

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 9

10 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

while moving twice as fast toward the left would be represented by

What is the relationship between a one-dimensional velocity vector and the

Negative velocity Positive velocity

Walking slowly away from the detector:

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 11

Walking rapidly toward the detector:

Activity 2-2: Matching a Velocity Graph

12 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

Question 2-5: Is it possible for an object to move so that it produces an absolutely

If you have more time, do the following Extension.

Extension 2-3: More Velocity Graphs

INVESTIGATION 3: RELATING POSITION

14 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

• computer-based laboratory system

Activity 3-1: Predicting Velocity Graphs from Position Graphs

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 15

Activity 3-2: Calculating Average Velocity

Velocity values (m/s)

Average (mean) value of the velocity: ______m/s

Position (m) Time (s)

16 REALTIME PHYSICS: MECHANICS

Calculate the change in position (displacement) between points 1 and 2. Also

Change in position (m)

Time interval (s)

Average velocity (m/s)

Extension 3-3: Using Statistics and Fit

LAB 1: INTRODUCTION TO MOTION 17

Question E3-6: What is the meaning of b?

Activity 3-4: Predicting Position Graphs from Velocity Graphs